Simple Veggie Chili
Prep Time: 15 mins Cook time: 1 hour, largely inactive One author recommend leaving it overnight whenever possible. This may or may not improve the flavour, it seriously weakens the food value. Vegetables are best eaten at once after they are cooked, if left the vitamin content deteriorates and after leaving cooked vegetables overnight they are no better than tinned vegetables. Serves: 6-8 Description Donna says: If you haven’t tried Anne’s ULTIMATE VEGGIE CHILI recipe, put this on your “Must Try” list. It is easily the best veggie chili I have ever eaten. It has a fabulous rich, smoky flavor and texture and is very frugal. It is packed with budget-friendly healthy protein in the form of beans and tofu. Ingredients * 1 yellow onion, chopped * 1 red bell pepper, chopped * 3 cloves garlic, minced * 2 tbsp. olive oil * 2 tsp. ground cumin * 1 tsp. each chipotle chili powder and crushed red pepper flakes * 14 oz. extra-firm tofu, frozen and thawed, excess water squeezed out The one technique that might be new to a lot of people is the freezing, thawing and crumbling of the tofu. This is a crucial step! The freezing process causes the moisture within the tofu to separate from the soybean curd, which results in a denser, chewier texture, which is perfect for crumbling into any recipe you would normally use ground beef, turkey, sausage, etc. My favorite way to do this is, after defrosting the tofu, placing it in a clean dishtowel and wringing it out, thus squeezing the water out and crumbling the tofu at the same time. I usually crumble it a bit more by hand after I open the towel, just to make sure it’s even – and then right into the pot it goes! * 2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained * 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes * 1 (4 oz.) can diced jalapenos, drained * 1 (4 oz.) can green chiles, drained * 2 (14 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed * 1 (14 oz.) can dark kidney beans, drained and rinsed * 1 cup fresh or frozen corn * 1 cup whole roasted cashews * salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Directions # In a large stockpot, sauté onion, bell pepper, and garlic in the olive oil over medium-high heat until onions are starting to soften. Stir in cumin, chipotle, and red pepper flakes. Crumble the thawed tofu into the mixture and sauté 5 minutes more. # Reduce heat to medium. Add all tomatoes, jalapenos, green chiles, black beans, kidney beans, corn and cashews; mix well. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper, to taste. # As the recipe stands, it’s an effortlessly vegan recipe. I personally prefer to add a little sour cream and grated sharp cheddar, but it stands alone perfectly well too, or you could use a vegan sour cream and/or cheese. References Contributed By Fab Frugal Food Category:Main Dish Recipes Category:Vegan/Vegetarian Recipes Category:Gluten Free Recipes